1,400 Refugees in Glasgow To Be Made Homeless Within Weeks After Mass Asylum Decisions by Home Office

Positive Action in Housing is an independent, anti-racist homelessness and human rights charity (SC027577) dedicated to supporting women, children and men from refugee and migrant backgrounds to rebuild their lives. We believe in a society where everyone has the right to live safe and dignified lives, free from poverty, homelessness or inequality. We lead human rights campaigns and humanitarian appeals. We persistently challenge anti-immigrant and anti-refugee sentiment, and the indefinite detention of innocent families and individuals. In all these areas we use our expertise to effect policy change

The Room for Refugees Network currently assists refugees from across the world, including Ukraine, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea and Yemen. It has arranged shelter through its volunteer hosts for over 5,000 refugees. Its Ukraine Programme has currently shelters over 500 Ukrainian families.

Around 1,400 people are expected to be granted asylum by the end of the year - costing Glasgow City Council £53m. Without concerted action, the decision is expected to lead to a homelessness crisis in Glasgow.

During an emergency meeting of councillors in the City Chambers on Thursday morning, it was heard that around 1,400 people are likely to be granted asylum within Glasgow by the end of year. 

It could lead to more than a thousand homeless applications in the next three months and cost the city’s “already stretched” homelessness service more than £53m. The UK Government also confirmed it will not be providing funding to councils to help manage the costs.

Glasgow City Council expects around 2,500 decisions on asylum to be made by the end of the calendar year, and if the services can’t meet the demand it is expected many of those would be left sleeping rough

The report said that there was already limited capacity within available accommodation in the city and noted the requirement for increased use of B&B and hotels for those seeking asylum. 

The Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has already been seeking to cut back on its use of high-cost hotel accommodation as it faces overspending its budget by £16m.

In a report to councillors, Annemarie O’Donnell, the council’s chief executive and Susanne Millar, chief officer of the HSCP, said: “As a result of the Home Office decision, the number of people likely requiring homelessness assistance will increase and the HSCP’s Homelessness Service will find it exceedingly challenging to meet the additional demand. “In April this year more than 600 positive decisions were made in Glasgow which required a major response from our asylum refugee team. This figure has since translated to increased homelessness applications and an increase in the use of hotel and B&B placements, particularly for single males.”

Based on current data, approximately 77% of households who receive a positive decision in Glasgow and become official refugee status go on to make a homelessness application

Positive Action in Housing, a leading refugee housing charity based in Glasgow, has expressed deep concern over the impending homelessness crisis faced by approximately 1,400 individuals expected to be granted asylum by the end of this year. The charity, which supports over 3,000 refugee and migrant families annually, is urging immediate action to prevent the destitution of these vulnerable individuals.

Responding to the news, Robina Qureshi, Director of Positive Action in Housing, stated:

"We are worried because newly granted refugees will have as little as 7 days’ notice to leave their asylum accommodation. Yet it takes 56 days just to access Universal Credit. And we already have a homelessness crisis in Glasgow, with more people placed in hotels, guest houses and temporary furnished accommodation.We believe this is the same picture in towns and cities with significant asylum populations across the rest of the UK.

"To minimise wholesale destitution on the streets of Glasgow, we would urge the Scottish Government to immediately implement a Scotland-wide 'rent-a-room scheme,' similar to the one operating in England, to encourage more people to rent out space in their homes or properties. This provides £7,500 a year tax-free to owners and tenants.

"With a cost-of-living crisis going on, many Scots would welcome extra tax-free income to pay their household costs while opening their doors to someone in need. The refugee individual or family can then claim universal credit which is paid by the UK government until they find work. People will also need help to find work, and that would benefit the whole country in terms of increasing the tax base."

Qureshi further highlighted the need for long-term solutions, stating:

"The Scottish government should consider allocating funding to social housing providers to develop and build 'tiny homes.' These measure as little as 400 square feet, cost less than a traditional house, occupy less space, and are better for the environment.

"In January 2024, we will be implementing a similar 'rent a room' scheme for over 3,000 volunteer hosts in Glasgow, Greater Glasgow, Edinburgh, and elsewhere in Scotland. Otherwise, in the absence of innovation and new ideas, we are facing a humanitarian crisis of epic proportions this winter.

"If Scotland can find 30,000 places for Ukrainians who are here on humanitarian grounds, we can do the same for 1400 newly granted refugees from other countries. But it has to be a joint effort by the Scottish Government, Councils, and charities with specialism in innovative housing solutions for refugees.

"And that is the good news in all this. After so many years of being forbidden to work and being trapped in an oppressive asylum system with no decision in sight, for 1,400 people, this is a major step forward in being able to rebuild, follow their hopes and dreams, and finally move forward in their lives."